Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2-.

A. SOHULENBURG.

UAR COUPLING.

Patented May 2, 1882:.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ADOLPH SOHULENBURG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,244, dated May 2, 1882.

Application filed January 26, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, ADOLPII SCHULENBURG, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved (Jar- Goupling; and I hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to an improved mechanism for coupling or uncoupling cars; and it consists of an arm suspended from a point near its middle beneath the end of one car, and having a sort of I- -head pivoted to its frontend. Thelowerendofthisheadis formed to drop through a slot in a bar which projects from the opposite car. A latch is pivoted to the side of this head, and the upper end of the head is connected by a chain with a rod or lever, by which it may be raised out of the slot in the opposite bar, when the latch will hold it up until the cars have been separated. When the cars come together the slotted bar passes beneath the suspended arm first described, and raises the couplinghook open, gliding beneath it until it reaches a point where the pin will fall through the slot and couple the cars.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of two cars with my coupling attached. Fig. 2 shows the coupling-pin lifted. Fig. 3is aperspective of coupling with section of car platforms. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of coupling-pin with section of tilting bar D. Fig. 5 is a view of lever for op erating device from side of car. Fig. 6 is a modification to be referred to.

AAarethe platforms of two cars, which may be of any style, and may have bumpers to prevent damage when the cars come together. In the present case I have shown only those parts connected with the coupling device. This consistsof acouplinghook or pin, B, connected with one car and a slotted or perforated arm, 0, projecting from the other, into which the pin falls to unite the cars. The arm or plate 0 projects far enough from its car to extend beneath the end of the opposite car, as shown. An arm, D, is suspended from this opposite car by a pin through it near the center, and the coupling pin or hook B is pivoted to this arm in front of its point of suspension by means of an extension, B, at right angles with it, which forms with it a lor hammer head. A fiat (No model.)

spring, E, is secured to the top of the arm D and extends along the top of the part B, thus pressing it down and keeping it in a straight line with the top of the arm D, the lower part of the extension B resting upon a projection, D, from the arm D. I

To the side of the bar 13 is pivoted a short latch, F, which may turn so as tolie alongside the bar and beneath the beveled front end of the bar D; or it may be turned to stand vertically with its point rcstingupon the plate 0, in which position it holds the coupling-hook up so that its end is free from the hole and will not connect the cars. It may be left in this position while the ears remain together, and when they are separated will simply be drawn off the plate.

In order to raise the eouplingpin out of the hole in the. plate 0, a chain, G, connects its upper end with the bottom of a rod, H, which moves vertically through guides, so thatit may be pulled up, and thus raise the coupling-hook out of the hole,when the latchF will be pressed out by the end of the arm D (which remains stationary) until it stands vertically and rests upon the plate 0, and thus holds the hook or pin out of the hole until the cars are separated. The rear end of the pivoted arm 1) is heavy enough to causethe front end to tilt up when itis free from the plate 0, in which position it will be in readiness to pass over the plate when ever two cars come together. The latchFwill be turned back by passing over the plate, and the point of the coupling-hook caused to rest upon the plate 0. As soon as the end of this plate passes beyond the point of suspension of the arm D the latter will be tilted by the action of theplate 0 upon its rear lower side, so as to stand horizontally, and the pin or hook B,falling into the hole in the plate 0, will couple the cars. A pin, I, passes through the rod H, and the rod passes through a hole in the guide J, having two slots at opposite sides to admit the passage of the pin I. When thelatterisabove the guide the rod may be turned, and the pin I will then rest upon the guide-bar and hold the coupling-pin up, so that it will not unite cars unless released. It will be seen that this red may be made of any desired length to fit flat, passenger, or box cars.

The device may be operated from the side,

without going between the cars, by means ofa short lever, 01, which projects from the side of the vertical rod II, and has one end ofa leverarm, I), connected with it. This lever-arm extends out to the side of the car and may slide in its fulcrum, so that after lifting the rod H until the pin I has passed through the slot in J it may be pushed alongto turn therod so that the pin I will lie across the slot and sustain the rod and coupling, as before described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. A- coupling device for cars, consisting of the centrally-pivoted arm D, supported from one car and having the lor hammer headed hook or pinB hinged to it, in combination with the perforated plate 0, projectin g from the 0pposite car, substantially as and for the purpose herein described. I

2. The centrally-pivoted arm D, having the hammer-headed coupling-pin B B pivoted, to it, and the spring E, iii-combination with the hinged swinging latch F, depending from the coupler, and the perforated coupling-plate G from the opposite car, substantially as herein described. I

3. A coupling device for cars, consisting of the centrally-pivoted weighted arm D, having the hammer-headed coupling-pin B B hinged to it, the spring E, and the swinging latch F, in combination with the vertically-mwing rod H, connected with the pin B by a chain, G, the perforated slotted guide J, and the pin I, substantially as herein described.

4. The l--shaped coupler BB, hinged to the side of the tilting arm D, the swinging latch F, the vertically-movingrod H,connected with the pin or coupler B, the slotted guide J, and the pin I, in combination with thelever-arm a, projecting from the rod H, and the lever 11, connected with the arm and sliding freely in its fulcrum, so that the rod H may be both raised and turned, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereofI hereunto set my hand.

ADOLPH soHULEuBUae.

Witnesses: v

FRANK A. BROOKS, S. H. NOURSE. 

